A low parts count is always a welcome
sight, right? All small parts are bagged and
if you’ve built a few ARFs, these parts will
be easy to identify as to when they will be
needed. CA hinges are installed throughout, but are not glued. I used little BSI
Instaflex ( bsi-inc.com) to keep my control
surfaces connected to their counterparts
forever. I decided to do an electric conversion and I was surprised to see that not
GLOW POWER MOUNTS, A FUEL TANK WITH THE NECESSARY FITTINGS, AND ALL INSTRUCTIONS TO GO GLOW ARE OF COURSE INCLUDED WITH THE ZLIN.
A familiar linkage system is employed on the control
surfaces. ;e well-thought-out interior space is
evident; instead of a fuel tank you add a LiPo.
much “converting” is necessary. The fire-
wall and motor mount are in place but the
front of the motor box is left “loose.” It
can slide forward or back to create a proper
cowl-to-spinner backplate distance. When
you are satisfied with your measurements,
you’ll need some 15- or 30-minute epoxy
to secure and you’ll finish the structure
with the included 90-degree tri-stock. A
screw-down battery tray is also in the pack-
age and some hook-and-loop straps should
be used to keep your LiPo in place during
flight. My only gripe is that the wing will
need to be removed to swap flight packs.
Glow power mounts, a fuel tank with the
necessary fittings, and all instructions
to go glow are of course included with
the Zlín. You will need a pair of 12-inch
IN THE AIR
We took the Zlín to a local AMA field
with a huge paved runway on which
the Zlín is right at home. Short grass or
any hard surface would be fine as the wheels are large and the gear
is plenty tall for the 15-inch prop I used. When you line up for takeo;
and advance the throttle, you will be adding in some rudder input to
maintain your line. ;at said, expect no surprises as the tailwheel
lifts o; in seconds and the plane
breaks and rotates. ;e climb
power is beyond adequate and
there is plenty of “juice” for
almost any aerobatic maneuver.
At landing time, I made a turn
onto final with power way back
and I was reminded that this
plane weighs in at almost 9
pounds. After a quick recovery,
I made an approach and was
amazed at how long the glide
lasted, even at slow speeds. I
did stall out a split second early
GEAR USED Radio: JR 9303 DSM2 (jrradios. com), Spektrum AR6210 ( spektrumrc.com), four JR DS821 servos( jrradios.com) Motor: E-flite Power 60 400Kv, E-flite Pro 60 ( e-fliterc.com) Battery: E-flite 6S 5000mAh 30C ( e-fliterc.com) Prop: APC 15x10E ( apcprop.com)
and touched down a little harder than I wanted; however there was no
damage to the airplane. My second landing attempt led to a flawless
flare and a smooth reuniting roll on the runway. ;e Zlín rolled for
some 40 or so feet before stopping and I may add a little more travel
through my transmitter to give me a bit more steering while taxiing.
GENERAL FLIGHT PERFORMANCE
Stability. You will have no stability issues at all. ;is model is
incredibly solid in the air and I was very impressed with its flight
characteristics with the battery in the manual’s stated location.
Tracking. In a word: excellent. I believe I added 1 or 2 tabs of trim to
have the plane going where I wanted at the upper throttle range and
it stays on course very well. Loops track with great linearity and rolls
will need a little di;erential tuning to become perfectly axial. All in all,
the Zlín flies true.
Aerobatics. ;e Seagull Zlín 50LS will do most aerobatic maneuvers
and I like doing long knife-edge passes, low inverted struts, and
tumbles as the plane will do some really wild ones!
Glide and stall performance: As mentioned, the Zlín will glide for a
while as the large wing lends lift and keeps the model feeling very
light even at slower speeds. When you lower airspeed too much,
expect the sticks to get soft and a wing to drop; get on the power
right away and pull out to avoid doing something unwanted. ;is is an
honest airplane and flies as such.
PILOT DEBRIEFING
Seagull’s Zlín 50LS is an a;ordable, excellent flying aerobat with
cool style, and can be easily completed with an electric or fueled
power setup. ;ere were no build issues and anyone with sport plane
experience will thoroughly enjoy this unique subject.
